Champagne and Shotguns. Adventures in Montana …

May 3, 2017

SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW YOUR HEART. SAY YES. GO FOR IT.

That’s what I decided to do when I heard about the first ever Wildheart Live Retreat that was being held in Montana.

Big Sky Country. An amazing adventure packed full of awesome activities with a group of incredible women. ATVing, horseback riding, skeet shooting, yoga, falconry, incredible food, magical views, business building and connecting with amazing women … so many of my favorite things all wrapped up in one retreat.

Did the idea of traveling alone to a place I’d never been and spending a week with people I’d only met online seem crazy? Maybe a little.

Could I think of 100 other things that I should be spending my money on? Ummm … yeah.

Did the thought of leaving all of my responsibilities, loved ones and work behind for some “me-time” stress me out and make me feel a little selfish? Hell yes, it did.

But something in my heart told me that I needed this. That this trip would be a game-changer and that if I could just move past that fear, worry and stress, I would have no regrets. So I said yes, and I went with an open heart, an open mind and a wide open sense of adventure. And, of course, with my favorite pair of cowboy boots.

I knew I would fall in love with Montana. They don’t call it Big Sky Country for nothing. The beauty was endless. The views, breathtaking. ATV riding is nothing new to me but flying through such gorgeous, wide-open spaces (not to mention riding alongside a herd of antelope) felt like pure freedom. The place is magical.

There were 21 of us and we brought all we had to Montana. We held on to some of it tightly … like the dreams that we hold in our hearts. Montana gave us the wide open space that allowed us to think and dream a little bigger. Ideas flowed and clarity shot out like a bullet from a gun.

What we didn’t want to hold on to … we burned. Literally. We wrote it all down on paper and one-by-one, we threw what wasn’t serving us into the campfire … and it was one of the most freeing experiences I’ve ever had. There was something so freeing about lighting my troubles on fire and watching the smoke disappear into the big Montana sky.

I watched women face their fears and do things that they had never done before like ride an ATV or a horse, touch a falcon and shoot a gun. And these women didn’t just shoot … they shot the shit out of the sporting clays. Like they had been shooting their whole lives. It was so inspiring to see everyone facing and overcoming their own fears and doing things that they never thought they could do.

We shared our stories … the amazing parts and the parts that hurt to tell. I chatted with other ladies about my love of hunting while we sipped champagne. We soaked in the sunshine from horseback and yoga mats. We laughed, we cried, we dreamed and schemed. We showed up … for each other and more importantly, for ourselves.

I had a huge a-ha and realized how to bring balance into my life. Totally unconventional and not how you would think one would bring balance to their life but I know deep down that it’s what will make my heart sing. Deeper dive later but this a-ha came from a Tarot Card and Oracle Card reading of all things. More magic.

I learned more about myself in 4 days than I have in years.

I learned to trust myself and listen to my intuition. Because it’s guiding me, always.